Generally, optical fiber processing apparatuses are used even in limited and poor surroundings, such as on telegraph poles and in manholes, as well as being used on level ground. In such surroundings, in the case of a conventional optical fiber connection process, a sheathing stripping process, a cleaning process, a cutting process, a welding process and a sleeve fitting process are consecutively conducted using different respective devices. For conducting the above-mentioned processes, a stripping device, a cleaning device, a cutting device and a welding device must be individually stored and carried, thus being inconvenient to a worker. For example, when conducting work on a telegraph pole, the worker, who climbs up the telegraph pole, conducts a desired process using a related device and, thereafter, he/she must pull another device out after having placed the previous device in its initial position. As such, in the conventional art, the worker must conduct work in poor conditions.
To solve the above-mentioned problem, the object of the present invention is to develop a portable optical fiber processing apparatus, which has a structure such that several combined processes can be conducted using only a single apparatus which can be conveniently stored and carried.
As well known to those skilled in the art, an optical fiber is a strand-shaped wave guide tube for the transmission of light. Furthermore, several strands of optical fibers constitute an optical cable, and such an optical cable has been widely used. Such an optical fiber includes a core, which is placed at the central portion thereof, and cladding, which covers the core, thus forming a double cylindrical structure. This cylindrical fiber is covered with double or triple sheathing made of synthetic resin.
The optical fiber prevents interference and jamming from being caused by outside electromagnetic waves and prevents wiretapping. Furthermore, the optical fiber is small and light and is resistant to bending. As well, a single optical fiber can support a plurality of communication lines and is resistant to changes in external conditions. Therefore, optical fibers are widely used.
To manufacture a device using a single-core or multicore optical fiber or to weld two together, the optical fiber, which is typically covered with sheathing, must undergo a process of stripping the sheathing and a process of cleaning and cutting the optical fiber. The two processed optical fibers must then undergo a welding process.
However, in the conventional arts, when conducting these processes, because the processes must be conducted using respective devices or through manual work, the work is inconvenient to the user and, as well, time is wasted. In addition, when there is only a small amount of work, there is no particular problem, but when there is a large amount of work, there is a problem of reduced work efficiency.
In an effort to overcome the above-mentioned problems of inconvenient work, an apparatus, which has a structure such that several processes, of stripping sheathing from an optical fiber and cleaning, cutting and welding the optical fiber, can be conducted using only the apparatus, was proposed in Korean Patent Application No. 2004-24067 (entitled: Optical Fiber Welding and Splicing Apparatus Having Heating Chamber for Reinforcing Welded Part of Optical Fiber, and, hereinafter, referred as a prior invention), which was filed by the inventor of the present invention.
In the prior invention, a process of stripping sheathing from an optical fiber and of cleaning it is conducted using hot blast. Thereafter, the optical fiber is cut to a desired length. Two cut optical fibers are welded at a junction therebetween, and a process of fitting a sleeve on the welded optical fibers is conducted in a heating chamber. As such, the prior invention is constructed such that the optical fiber can be processed through combined processes.
In the prior invention having a structure making it possible to conduct combined processes, there is an advantage in that the work efficiency of the process is maximized. However, because a large amount of heat is required, there is a disadvantage in that a separate generator and high voltage are required. Therefore, it is difficult to apply the prior invention to cable network construction. Furthermore, because sheathing of an optical fiber has a different characteristic, that is, a different temperature, at which the sheathing must be removed, depending on the manufacturing company, a problem occurs in which the sheathing is not removable. In addition, the process of stripping the sheathing from and cleaning the optical fiber using hot blast cannot be applied to a process of stripping sheathing from a multicore optical fiber, which includes several optical fibers, and cleaning it. That is, the process using hot blast is limitedly used in an apparatus of processing only a single-core optical fiber.
Meanwhile, an optical fiber processing apparatus to be used in a factory, in which a device for stripping sheathing from optical fibers and devices for cleaning and cutting the optical fibers are integrated and automated for mass production, was proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 2002-64354. However, this optical fiber processing apparatus has a complex structure and a relatively large size, and incurs high manufacturing costs. As well, because apparatus required to be portable, for example, a sealing apparatus, are not sufficiently portable, it is not appropriate to use them at an optical cable installation site, such as work in a manhole or on a telegraph pole.
Here, the number of optical fibers of the multicore optical fiber is determined depending on the kind and amount of optical data to be transmitted. In order to manufacture the multicore optical fiber, a desired number of optical fibers is arranged, and the arranged optical fibers are processed by a coating process, thus forming multilayer sheathing. Because the external shape of this multicore optical fiber has a band shape, it is called a “ribbon”.
In the present invention, a blade body of a cutting blade is made of synthetic diamond having high stiffness, so that the durability of the cutting blade is enhanced. Thereby, inconvenience due to replacement of the cutting blade is minimized and maintenance cost is reduced. Furthermore, the amount of synthetic diamond required for manufacturing the cutting blade is minimized, so that manufacturing costs are reduced.
Meanwhile, in the conventional arts, a process of cutting an optical fiber has been conducted manually. Recently, an optical fiber cutting device, which supports an optical fiber on a main body and cuts the fastened optical fiber using a cutting blade, was developed.
In the conventional optical fiber cutting device, because a cutting blade, which contacts, cuts, and scratches an optical fiber, is made of material having insufficient stiffness, there is a problem of low durability. For example, in the case that the cutting blade is made of metal, the cutting blade is easily worn and damaged by repeated cutting work, so that the cutting blade must be frequently and periodically replaced with a new one. Even if the cutting blade is made of cemented carbide alloy having relatively high stiffness, it must be replaced with a new one after about 20000 to 30000 cuts have been made (a process of cutting one strand of optical fiber is regarded as one cut). Therefore, the conventional optical fiber cutting device has a disadvantage of inconvenience in maintenance and repairing. Furthermore, due thereto, a secondary problem, in which work time is increased, is induced.
Moreover, the conventional optical fiber cutting device has no construction for collecting a cut part of an optical fiber (hereinafter, referred as an optical fiber chip). Therefore, optical fiber chips are directly discarded at a construction site, thus resulting in environmental pollution. As well, because the optical fiber chips are sprayed when being cut at a construction site, the worker's body may be injured by the chips.
In the present invention, because an optical fiber chip, which is created when cutting the optical fiber at a construction site, is automatically collected through the manipulation of closing a cover, that is, through a single manipulation, it is environment-friendly, the user's body is prevented from being injured by chips, and the optical fiber processing operation is more convenient for the user.
Furthermore, in the conventional optical fiber processing apparatus, there is a problem in that the replacement and work of maintaining and repairing parts of the apparatus must be conducted at a manufacturing facility but not at a construction site, after the apparatus has been carried to the manufacturing facility. As well, because the conventional optical fiber processing apparatus is a machine having several components, which are precisely assembled together, the above-mentioned problem is more severe.